SAN ANTONIO — For now, this is the way it has to be for the Memphis Grizzlies. 

Only 13 games into the regular season, coach Taylor Jenkins and his squad are in complete patchwork mode. 

The Grizzlies, washed over by injuries, had only 11 players available when they took on the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. The challenge, as it has been all season, was to make the most of what they’ve got. 

But this time, unlike many of the games before it, they pushed right through to erase a 19-point deficit for a 120-108 win. 

Layup lines visualize Memphis’ dilemma as well as anything.

The Spurs had five more players crowding their side of the court while warming up before the game and at halftime. The Grizzlies (3-9) had more basketballs provided to shoot than players available to shoot them.

In fact, the injury report is so extensive it has too many characters to fit in a tweet. It’s nine lines deep, to be exact — as long as some Thanksgiving grocery lists.

As a result, Memphis has been stuffed with frustration. They know the circumstances they are facing are extremely challenging.

So, yes, the Grizzlies going to enjoy the heck out of this one.

At least until they land in Memphis early Sunday morning and start preparing for the second night of a back-to-back at home against the Boston Celtics.

They’ve been hoping for a turnaround. And while one victory won’t accomplish that, this one had the makings of a winning formula. 

It was dicey for a while. 

Jenkins was notably animated on the bench during the game, especially over his team’s defense in the first half. 

Typically mild-tempered Bismack Biyombo received a technical foul while complaining about the officiating on the bench. He promptly slammed down a towel on the court in response. 

Three Memphis starters had two-plus fouls in the first two quarters: Biyombo, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane. Four of the fouls were offensive, three on illegal screens.

Lobbying for answers intensified while body language dropped. 

San Antonio led by as many as 19 in the first half. The Grizzlies easily could have folded. Instead they used it as motivation to rally.

Jenkins spoke his mind at halftime, as did several players on the team.

“We talked about establishing our edge,” Jenkins said. “The physically, the one-on-one defense, switching, we didn’t have that in the first half. We fouled way too much. 

“We weren’t going to come up with some new recipe. We just had to find that edge. The focus has to be on communicating, dialing into the game plan, and playing fast.”

Regroup and recover

John Konchar instantly responded to the call by swiping away a steal for a layup on the first possession of the third quarter. 

“We had talked about on-ball pressure all night,” Jenkins said. “That set the tone for us in the second half.”

Slowly, on the back of Bane and Jackson, Memphis pushed its way back into striking distance in the second half. 

The Grizzlies mustered a 12-4 run that shrunk the hole to single digits. Finally, the defense that Jenkins had been so frustrated with started to come around. 

Memphis forced 15 turnovers that it turned into 18 points. The Grizzlies held San Antonio to just 14 points in the fourth quarter. 

That 12-4 run ballooned to a 31-9 run over a 7-minute stretch. The style that Jenkins describes as “activity” came into focus. 

Jackson swatted balls on interior passes. Roddy used his frame to stay steady in front. Santi Aldama crashed the glass hard. Until, finally, with just under nine minutes remaining, Memphis recouped a lead. They never let it go. 

“Credit to Coach, man,” Jackson said. “He’s been amazing, just the way he’s handled the last week and the season.”

Jackson went right at rookie, future superstar and No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama.

Jackson pushed him out of the lane and blocked a critical shot in the final minutes. He attacked the rim and drew contact. 

“I had nothing else better to do,” Jackson said of his aggressive style against Wembanyama.

The plays energized his teammates. He didn’t do it alone. 

Ziaire Williams, who has had a turbulent start to his third season, showed up in a big way. 

Williams scored 17 points off the bench. He drilled a 3-pointer to give Memphis a double-digit lead, then ripped away a steal and dove on the floor to draw a foul that maintained it. 

“For me, personally, I’m going to enjoy this until our plane lands in Memphis,” Williams said. “When we hit the runway in Memphis, it’s time to get ready for Boston tomorrow.”

They earned that opportunity. This Grizzlies game did not follow the track of so many others this season. 

Yes, shorthanded Memphis fell behind.

The Grizzlies pushed their way back, like they tend to do.

But this time they finished the job, despite all of the frustration that had built up to that point. 

One game doesn’t turn around a season. But it can be a starting point. 

“This is what everybody does here,” Jackson said on the game’s Bally Sports broadcast. “Make that change. When this turns over, it’s going to be scary.”

Star of the game

Jackson Jr. scored 27 points, grabbed five rebounds and helped to hold Spurs star Wembanyama to 6-for-17 shooting with 19 points. 

What’s next

The Grizzlies return to Memphis to play the Boston Celtics (7 p.m., Bally Sports) on Sunday at FedExForum.